Japan to look at financial, oil market situation over anti-Russian sanctions likely lift

TOKYO, December 17. /TASS/. Japan will consider financial and oil market situation over likely cancelation of anti-Russian sanctions, Japan Cabinet Secretary-General Yoshihide Suga told a news conference on Wednesday. “Proceeding from the current situation, we should primarily follow current tendencies on the market,” Suga said in reply to a journalist’s question whether Tokyo plans to lift sanctions imposed on Moscow. The Cabinet general secretary did not rule out that oil price fall will have a serious impact not only on countries exporting natural resources, but also all global financial markets. “This is highly probable that dropping national currency rates of natural resource-exporting countries triggered by declining oil prices will result in general curtailment of investment activity in the world,” Suga noted. Japanese government has already introduced a raft of sanctions against Russia over the current situation around Ukraine. In particular, in March Tokyo suspended talks with Moscow for easier visa rules and delayed indefinitely the start of talks on likely conclusion of three treaties on investment co-operation, space exploration partnership and prevention of dangerous military activities. In April Japan stated the country would suspend the issue of visas to 23 officials of Russian state agencies and other structures. Their list is not disclosed. In August Japan decided that property of 40 individuals which are linked with Russian Republic of Crimea, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics and two Crimean companies will be frozen should it be found in the country. In early December Tokyo has announced a new sanctions list which comprises 26 individuals and 14 organisations related with the Lugansk and Donetsk republics. In September Tokyo also noted that the country banned Russian major banks, such as Vneshtorgbank, Vnesheconombank, Gazprombank, Rosselkhozbank and Sberbank to issue securities with a payback period of more than 90 days without a special permission. The East Asian country also stated about tougher inspections destined to avert export of weapons and specific technologies in Russia. Read more